Volleyball Defeats Duke in Five Set Thriller

Friday, November 26

Durham, N.C.

6:30 PM

North Carolina

21-8,10-8ACC

Duke

16-13,7-11ACC

North Carolina

Duke

Photo by: Duke Athletics

November 26, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. – The Carolina volleyball team ended the regular season with a five-set victory on the road at Duke on Friday night in Cameron Indoor Stadium, finishing the season with a 3-0 record over the Blue Devils.

Freshman Mabrey Shaffmaster had a career night with 27 kills on .375 hitting, the fifth match of the season where she has tallied 20 or more kills.

Nia Parker-Robinson (17) and Kaya Merkler (14) rounded out the Tar Heels with double-digit kills, while Merkler had a team-best .522 hitting-percentage on the night.

Meghan Neelon racked up a match-best 53 assists, while Karenna Wurl had 21 digs and Ryan Shannon had two service aces.

As a team, the Tar Heels out-hit the Blue Devils .296 to .228, tallying 68 kills.

Carolina has now won seven of the last eight meetings with the Blue Devils.

The Tar Heels finished the regular season with a 21-8 record, going 10-8 in ACC play, the program's best record since the 2016 team went 29-4.

How it Happened – Carolina: 3, Duke: 2

Set One – Carolina: 25, Duke: 20
Parker-Robinson set the tone early, notching her first kill to open the match. She followed it up with her sixth service ace of the season a point later to give Carolina an early 3-0 lead. With just one tie score in the set, the Tar Heels, led by five Shaffmaster kills, held control for the entirety of the set. As a team, Carolina out-hit Duke .429 to .278 in the frame.

Set Two – Carolina: 24, Duke: 26
With seven ties and two lead changes, set two was a tough battle from the first point. Despite another five kills from Shaffmaster, the Tar Heels hit just .135. Carolina fought back to force two set points before the Blue Devils tied up the match at one set apiece.

Set Three – Carolina: 25, Duke: 22
Led by seven kills on .438 hitting from Shaffmaster, Carolina secured a 2-1 lead. The Tar Heels hit .250 in the set, while holding Duke to its worst attacking set of the match (.119).

Set Four – Carolina: 21, Duke: 25
Behind .378 hitting and eight kills from Gracie Johnson, Duke was able to tie the match up in the fourth and force a fifth set. Shaffmaster and Parker-Robinson each had six kills in the frame.

Set Five – Carolina: 15, Duke: 9
Merkler opened the deciding fifth set with her thirteenth kill of the night. Three points in a row, an Amanda Phegley kill, a Shaffmaster kill and a Ryan Shannon ace, put the Tar Heels up 5-2 early. Another 3-0 run gave Carolina a 9-4 advantage. Meghan Neelon was able to secure the match victory with her first service ace of the night.

Next up for Carolina is awaiting selection for the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament during the 2021 DI Women's Volleyball Selection Show on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. on ESPNU. If the Tar Heels make the tournament, it would be the first time since 2016.

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